geezlaweez

A week ago I stupidly reread that article abt how the top 8 schools in history make up [scary statistic] of the number of the tenure tracked history professors in the country. I'm not going to one of those top 8- so what exactly is T2 when we're talking about placement anyway? The only reason why I'm doing a phd is because there literally wasn't anything else I was willing or able to do and having avoided ever getting a day job, my stipend next year will be 2x more than I've ever made (I'm in my 30s). In other words: as far as I'm concerned, I got a job with a 5 year contract doing one of the only things I was qualified to do, making the highest salary I could possibly make. But I (do desperately) want to stay in the academy/Having said that: -try to think along the lines of creating multiple CVs to increase application options. (Mine are ethnic studies, American studies/history, Islam in America, black religion, and American religious history.) -increase your odds for placing outside of your track by publishing in secondary fields (my plan there is theology- aiming to teach intro to religion courses or at least show that I could teach a basic theology class). -digital humanities are not going away. Start gaining skills that might make it possible that you're hired by/have a secondary appointment in a DH lab, university library, etc. (those gigs they tend to take the work horses from public schools anyway because those are the schools that deign to teach real skills.) -find out abt whether your school is part of Versitile PhD (or whatever it's called) which gives further opportunities to develop skills for deanships etc (esp relevant for div school if you're ordained and willing to work in student affairs- those folks get to teach sorta and publish without much support). -look at community college jobs. You can be the next bell hooks! -we could all be dead in 5 years so no worries.

This was very helpful, thank you!

Omfg you literally couldn't have sent me better condolences/congrats than a random pic of Ariana Grande in a NU sweater. <3

Got the same generic rejection email from Princeton. Sending everyone who's sad a hug. Going out to dinner to celebrate. Sending in my acceptance of offer to Northwestern and ordering school swag tonight.

Sucks. Sending you a hug.

Yaaaaay good job!

In other news, how is it even possible that this discussion has over 30,000 views? Feeling relevant!

I can honestly say I'm not worrying about this anymore. There are no emergencies in religious studies. Whatever the outcome, to God be the glory.

Thanks so much for your insight.

Thanks for letting us know! Do you know if finalists are generally admitted or if that's where a waitlist happens or if people get turned down at that stage or...

I get it. I heard so from a reputable source.

Lord Jesus it is 3:14pm and I haven't lost my shit once today. I WAS GOOD FOR 8 HOURS WHERE IS MY EMAIL? As of Friday, I heard that we should hear from the Graduate School in a week or so.

Others have already answered: No. Still, UTS is a school one might strongly consider attending without excellent funding. Both my current advisor and one of my potential advisors did and are now doing the thing getting a PhD is supposed to do. Luckily, because they know that their funding is insufficient, they are far less suspicious of people doing other kinds of work (which might increase the flexibility of the kinds of jobs to which you might apply on graduation). I know at least one person who worked as a hospital chaplain to fund their studies and who felt that it overwhelmingly enriched the quality of their academic work/reflection (despite *not* being in a practical/applied subfield). They are now faculty at a Pretty Snazzy Divinity School. Obviously not everyone would have been able to sustain the precarity involved in surviving long enough in the program to finish. (They may have had a working spouse, not sure.)

Welp, it's a little late to join the party but I'm here in what I hope is the final week of waiting. In at Northwestern. Waiting to hear from Princeton. They should grant some kind of special leave for students waiting for responses. I've had a masterfully incoherent and unproductive semester. You all have my sympathies.